MANILA, PHILIPPINES — An innovative funding program to give women-led and women-owned businesses access to growth capital financing in the Philippines has been launched.
Aptly called SheSecure, the funding program is an investment product which applies a “gender lens” to support the growth capital needs of women-owned and women-led small businesses (WSBs) in the Philippines.
SheSecure offers financing of up to PHP 30 million per enterprise together with interest incentives tied to improvements in gender equality practices. These funds can be utilized by the enterprises to fuel expansion, invest in new technologies, or support their working capital requirements.
It is developed by ARQ SME Business Development Company (ARQ SME BDC), a pioneering SME-focused debt and mezzanine investor, in collaboration with the Australian-funded Investing in Women initiative.
The Australian Embassy’s Deputy Head of Mission, Dr. Moya Collett, led the launch of the financing program. “Australia is committed to supporting gender equality, and we are investing in women’s economic empowerment to help achieve this,” said Dr Collett. “Australia is pleased to support local partnerships that develop innovative solutions such as SheSecure by ARQ because evidence shows that incorporating a gender lens into an investment strategy improves both financial performance and impact outcomes for investors.”
Bridging critical gaps for women entrepreneurs
“SheSecure was developed to tackle two critical gaps faced by larger women-led and women-owned small businesses in the Philippines,” said Abigail Tan, ARQ SME BDC Managing Partner.
“The lack of appropriate capital is a major obstacle for growth. By offering tailored financing paired with strategic support, SheSecure aims to help bridge this gap for women entrepreneurs ready to scale,” she noted.
Panelists at the SheSecure launch share their insights on accessing capital and scaling their business as women entrepreneurs.
Addressing the ‘double bottomline’
With a strong commitment to the “double bottomline” approach, SheSecure is designed to drive both financial profitability and social responsibility by fostering gender equality in business.
“By providing incentives linked to measurable progress in gender performance, SheSecure empowers companies to mainstream gender equality—ensuring opportunities and leadership roles are accessible to everyone, regardless of gender,” said Tan.
ARQ SME BDC Managing Partner, Abigail Tan, Paymongo President and CEO, Jojo Malolos, and IW Impact Investing Director, Eleanor Keppelman, discuss the double bottom-line approach to supporting women-led enterprises and how tailored financing initiatives like SheSecure can create gender-smart businesses.
While SheSecure has specific criteria, ARQ SME BDC is committed to connecting applicants to suitable sources of capital, even if they don’t fully meet the program’s qualifications. This initiative aligns with the broader vision of creating “gender-smart enterprises” that deliver strong financial returns alongside positive social impact.
“Our goal with SheSecure is to nurture growth-oriented businesses that meet gender-lens criteria while encouraging more companies to adopt gender-inclusive practices,” Tan added. “By prioritizing both profit and social progress, we create a win-win for businesses, their customers, and society as a whole.”
To learn more about SheSecure, visit https://www.arqcapital.com/shesecure.
###